Floor maintenance scrubbers are well known. These devices typically include a source of cleaning solution, solution applying means for distributing cleaning solution onto the floor surface, scrubbing means for engaging a wetted floor surface and a vacuum system for removing soiled cleaning solution from the floor surface. The vacuum system typically includes one or more squeegee elements, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,895,633; 6,705,332 and 6,602,018, each being incorporated by referenced herein. The squeegee blades in these types of machines are often a wear/service item. As the blades wear, the ability of the machine to pick up soiled cleaning solution and/or water is diminished. In some particularly harsh environments, squeegee blades are replaced multiple times during the life of the machine. Many times this is done by the operator in the field where the availability of tools is limited. Some prior art machines provide thumb screws for retaining the squeegee blades.
Tennant Company's model 433 Walk Behind Scrubber has included removable squeegee blades and retainers, similar to the design of FIG. 6. In this design, the retainers and blades are connected together via fasteners. The design purportedly provided for tool-less blade exchange by increasing the clearance around the blades, so the blades could be pushed or pulled within a retainer-receiving channel. Two significant limitations have been associated with this approach. First, since the soft rubber blade was not supported along its length it tended to bend during insertion into the channel. Additionally, when the blade was pulled, a portion of the blade tended to grab channel walls. Furthermore, the friction between rubber and aluminum was often too great to allow free sliding without increasing the clearances between the rubber and aluminum parts.
Another problem of the prior art has been bonding of the rubber blade to the aluminum or plastic retainer. Compression of the rubber blade within the retainer often resulted in adherence of the blade material to the retainer. Blade sticking made removal difficult without unscrewing the retainer.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.